Kelvin Hayden facts for kids
Hayden in 2010
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| Position: | Cornerback | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | July 23, 1983 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Hubbard (Chicago, Illinois) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Illinois | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2005 / Round: 2 / Pick: 60 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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Kelvin Darnell Hayden Jr. (born July 23, 1983) is a former American professional football player. He played as a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). Hayden played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini. The Indianapolis Colts picked him in the second round of the 2005 NFL draft.
A big moment in his career was during Super Bowl XLI. He made an amazing play, returning an interception 56 yards for a touchdown. This helped the Colts win against his hometown team, the Chicago Bears. Hayden also played for the Atlanta Falcons and the Bears later in his career.
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Early Life and High School Football
Kelvin Hayden grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He went to Hubbard High School. He was a star player on the football team for all four years.
As a freshman, he played cornerback. He caught ten interceptions and was named to the All-Area team. In his sophomore year, he was a quarterback. He threw for 21 touchdowns and ran for seven more. As a junior, he was a tailback. He rushed for over 2,100 yards and earned All-Conference honors.
College Football Journey
Playing at Joliet Junior College
After high school, Kelvin Hayden attended Joliet Junior College for two years. He was a fantastic receiver there. He caught 115 passes for 1,839 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was named All-Conference and All-Region twice.
Hayden led Joliet JC to an amazing 21 wins in a row. This streak included winning the 2002 NJCAA National Championship. As a sophomore, he was named the NJCAA National Offensive Player of the Year. He also earned first-team All-America honors.
Moving to the University of Illinois
In 2003, Hayden transferred to the University of Illinois. He quickly became a key player for the Fighting Illini. He led the team in catches and receiving yards. He had 52 catches for 592 yards that season.
Before the 2004 season, Hayden changed positions. He switched from wide receiver to cornerback. He started all 11 games and made 71 tackles. He also caught four interceptions as a cornerback.
Kelvin Hayden's NFL Career
Time with the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts drafted Kelvin Hayden in 2005. He was the 60th player chosen overall in the second round. In his second season, he made a huge play in Super Bowl XLI. He intercepted a pass and ran it back 56 yards for a touchdown. This helped the Colts beat the Chicago Bears 29–17.
During his time with the Colts, Hayden had 239 total tackles. He also caught nine interceptions, returning three of them for touchdowns. In 2006, he scored another touchdown by recovering a fumble and running it 26 yards.
Playing for the Atlanta Falcons
After leaving the Colts, Hayden played one season for the Atlanta Falcons in 2011. During his time in Atlanta, he recorded 16 total tackles. He also made two interceptions for the team.
Return to the Chicago Bears
On April 5, 2012, Kelvin Hayden signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Bears. This was special because he was a Bears fan when he was young. In one game against the Tennessee Titans, he recovered two fumbles. In 2012, Hayden was one of five players who led the league in fumble recoveries with four.
Hayden signed another one-year deal to stay with the Bears in 2013. However, he suffered a torn hamstring injury in August 2013. This injury caused him to miss the entire 2013 season. He was placed on the injured reserve list. He re-signed with the Bears in 2014 but was later released and then re-signed again briefly due to other team injuries.
